Disease X: Hunting the Next Pandemic
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- Episode
- Episode One
- Broadcast Info
- 2025 (59 mins)
- Description
- Virologist Dr Chris Van Tulleken embarks on a global investigation into the most urgent science story of our time: the hunt for the pathogen that could trigger the next pandemic, and the cutting-edge science developed to tackle it. Known only as ‘Disease X’, it is shrouded in uncertainty. Its origin is unknown, how it could spread is unclear, but its impact could be much more severe than Covid-19. To uncover what Disease X might be, where it could emerge, and what traits it needs to spread, Chris follows the paths of past deadly viruses. He visits the ground zero of the Nipah virus in Malaysia, which inspired the film "Contagion." He also heads to the frontline of the ongoing bird flu outbreak in US dairy cattle in California. With exclusive access to the World Health Organization’s Emergency Operations Centre, the nerve centre for global outbreak surveillance, Chris joins the experts scanning a web of signals for the first tremors of a new health crisis. Here, science meets strategy in real time, as specialists work to intercept threats before they spiral out of control. His journey covers four continents; Europe, North America, Africa and Asia, each location revealing a new piece of the puzzle. Along the way, Chris meets survivors and the scientists who have dedicated their lives to stopping the tiny microbes that are humanity’s deadliest and oldest enemy. He also learns how state-of-the-art scientific solutions are being developed to take on the global threat of a Disease X. As Chris follows a trail of biological and environmental clues, he uncovers the warning signs that the world cannot afford to ignore. But the most startling revelation comes as the investigation deepens. Despite the terrifying existential threat Disease X poses, we have created the conditions that could allow it to grow closer to home than we ever imagined. This is a journey of discovery with life-or-death stakes, serving as a wake-up call for everyone. For this Horizon documentary, Chris’s journey covers four continents, Europe, North America, Africa and Asia. Each location revealing a new piece of the puzzle. Along the way, Chris meets survivors and the scientists who have dedicated their lives to stopping the tiny microbes that are humanity’s deadliest and oldest enemy. He also learns how state-of-the-art scientific solutions are being developed to take on the global threat of a Disease X. As Chris follows a trail of biological and environmental clues, he uncovers the warning signs that the world cannot afford to ignore. But the most startling revelation comes as the investigation deepens. Despite the terrifying existential threat Disease X poses, we have created the conditions that could allow it to grow closer to home than we ever imagined. This is a journey of discovery with life-or-death stakes, serving as a wake-up call for everyone.
- Genre
- Medicine; Science; Research; Health & Social Care
How to cite this record
The Open University, "Disease X: Hunting the Next Pandemic". https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/ou/search/index.php/prog/254346 (Accessed 11 Mar 2026)